Belt wrapper guard



A. c. GolNs 2,325,504 BELT WRAPPER GUAR Filed Jan. 7. 1942 2 shets-sheet1 July 27, 1943.

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mvENToR C gom/s s o/wey 41. FP50 y July 27, 1943. A. c. GolNs BELTWRAPPER GUARD Filed Jan. 7, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ,L FREDPatented July 27, i943 2,325,5041 rBELT-VVRAPII'EE',GUARDVv 4 Afrl QScies. Gary, 1nd-, assista? t0 Cariiegie- Illinois steelorporatinpacorporation New Jersey Application January 7, 1942, sceiarneizaeec, f vs v'z claims. (o1. ,2425731 This invention relates to guards and,particu-V larly, to an improved automatic yguard or meansfor protectingthe belts of belt wrapper apparatus.

In the steel industry, itis the general practice to provide a windingreel' on thefexit or delivery side of rolling mills for rolling sheetmaterial for the purpose of rewinding the reduced strip intoyacoil undertension as the material is delivered from the Work rolls of the mill.The mandrel portion of the reel is usually cylindricalin shape and madeof a plurality of segments which are, capable of being expanded andcontracted,V whereby the diameter of the reel'may Ice-varied so as tofacilitate removal of the coil therefrom after reeling.

At times, a belt wrapper device or apparatus is utilized for the purposeof starting the'initial convolutions of the strip around the mandrel."Such a device is usually located at a point directly opposite thereeling mechanism and consists gen'- erally of a pair of spaced apartendless belts'a-r-g ranged substantially parallel to each Votherfn. aVmovable carriage. The belts areY arranged around a, plurality of idlerolls.. When the strip isto bey started around the mandrel of thereel,the can' riage of the belt Wrapper, together with the beltsr carriedthereby, is'moved to position directly next" to the reeling mechanism`so thatV the belts are disposed circumierentially'and partiallyaroundthe mandrel thereof.4 The exiting end of the strip,` is theninserted between the belts and vthe man- 1 drel. The mandrel is thenrotated and the belts guide the exit end of the strip around the mandrelso as to wrap the same sufiiciently tight to form the initial"convolutions of the coil. Afterv several convolutions of thelstrip havebeen wrapped around theimandrehthe belt Wrappermechanism is moved'to aretracted position away from the reeling mechanism with tliebeltsthere',- of moving away from orderA tov l 'the v'mandrel and out`contact with th'esame.` The rolling ofthe strip- After the rolling cfvthe strip has .beencomf pleted, the tailend of the strip, upon leavingthe rolls of the mill, tends to be whipped overt the'lreeling mandrel,due to the rotation thereof` andthe tension applied lto thestripthereby,v

causing the extreme tail end of the strip to strike the belts of thebelt Wrapper mechanism, which are positioned directlyV oppositevtheretojvvith la terrific; force or `blowl,'which resul-tsoitentirriesj- :in damaging or 'completely severing the belts.

-' tenance oi 'these belts istedious and expensive.

ItV isY toV a'guard or :means for protecting these belts from thiswhipping action of the tail end of. the strip that the present inventionrelates.

Accordinglydt is the general objectof the presentxinventionto provide `aguard or meansV for protectinglthebeltsof a belt wrapper mechanismotheclass described which eiectively and efciently protects the beltsthereof against the whipping action, ofthe tail end of the strip as itis, delivered' from the rolling mill so as to eliminate the danger ofanydamage thereto and to reduce themaintenance costs .thereof to a mini-VIt is @Rather object ofthe invention to provide an improved; guard formeans forfprotecting the belts of, a jihelt-wrappcr mechanism ofthe-class described, whch-visfsmple and nexpensmel in tsfcenstructon anduse. and a guard which will not interfere. with, the Iflor-rml operationof the belt Wrapper., y n

It, a further object cithis:invention.l to provide` an improved guardor, means-V fcr protecting the belts of a Vbelt wrapper mechanism or theclass describedl which4 .is automatically moved,V lto @necesitenawayffromfthe'belts so as to permit there@ ihefeflf, and autematicallymoved toenotljier position-adjacent the belts so as to protect theimproved guard with a retracted. position andv not in use;

Figure 3 is an enlarged similar view showing belts of the, belt wrapperwhen the sameis in its the guardia. the position it will assume awayfrom the belts of thebelt wrapper when the same4 isipjus; and

. igual?'fi-. is` all enlarged plan view of one side Ofin! mPrOYeflsueld.-l Y

mill with which it is adapted to be used, and atV a point directlybeyond the mechanism for reeling the strip material as it is deliveredfrom the mill. There is mounted on the base 2 a carriage 3 forreciprocal movement away from and toward Y the mill and reelingmechanism, The carriage 3 has arranged therewith a plurality of wheels#which are disposed on a pair of spaced apart tracks or guide members 5carried by the base 2. On the inner end of the carriage 3, directlyopposite the reeling mechanism, there are arranged usually two sets ofspaced apart yoke-like portions 3. vEach of these sets consists 0f apair of yoke-like portions having a plurality of idle rollers I arrangedtherebetween. Immediately rearwardly ofY eachl set of yoke-like'portions6 there is arranged an idle roller 8 which is mounted on thelupper endof an upwardly extending arm-like member 9,'with the lower end of thearm-like member pivotally attached to the 'carriage 3 as at I3.Intermediate the length of the arm-like member `9 there is pivotallyattached thereto a rearwardly extending Ycrank arm I2 whichextendsthrough a housing portion. I3 mounted on the'carriage 3 and whichhas adjusting nuts I4 arranged on the extreme end thereof. There ismounted within the housing `I 3.around the crank arm I2 a coil spring I5for a purpose hereinafter `to be described. On the lower arm of each setof the yoke-like portions 6 at the forward end of the carriage, there isarranged a pair of spaced apart arm-like members I6 which are pivotallyattachedl to the lower arm of the yoke-likeportions, as at I'I.v Betweeneach pair of arm-like portions 'I5 and at the outer end thereof, thereismounted .an idle rollerI. There is arranged between' the yoke-likelportions 6 of each set, around the idle rollers "I, 8, and I8 thereof,an endless belt-I9, and it is to a guard or means for protecting thesebelts that the present invention relates. l

YAccording clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4'of the drawings, there isarranged above each of the endless wrapper belts I9 an angularlyextending plate-like guard member 2D having a pair of spaced apartdownwardlyY extending arms 2l arranged therewith, With'one arranged ateach side of the guard.

The arms 2| extend preferably downwardly along the outer sides of thebelts I8 and the yoke-like portions, with thel lower ends thereof beingpivotally attached to the carriage 3 ofthe belt wrapper mechanism as at22. There is mounted, pref` erably on the outer side of each' ofthe arms2| at the-lowerends thereof, a cam-like member 23 for actuating theguard in a manner hereinafter to be described. Above the pivotalconnection 22 `of the arms 2 I of the carriage 3, there is arrangedwithA each of the arms a rearwardly extending link member 24 having oneend thereof pivotally attached to the arm-like member 2|, as at A 2 55:lAtrthe opposite end of each of the link members 24, there is connectedthereto arod 2S which extends between the legs of a U-shaped link member`2,7 and is connected theretopreferably by means of a coil spring 23 andange members 29. The outer end of each of the U- Ytothe presentinvention, as vmore' shaped link members 2 is connected to an eyeportion 33 of a bolt 3i.' The bolt 3l extends through a hole arrangedpreferably in an angle iron or bracket member 32 which is securelymounted on the side of the carriage 3 of the belt wrapper. Beyond theangle iron member 32, there is arranged aroundeach of the bolts 3l acoil spring 33. Beyond the spring 33 on the extreme outer threaded endof each of the bolts 3l, there is mounted a pair of adjusting nuts 34.

To either side of the belt wrapper mechanism andvat a point directlyopposite the cam-like members 23 carried by the arms 2i, there issecurely mounted onY the floor a bracket member 35 preferably having aroller 33 rotatably arranged on the upper end thereof, which is adaptedto act as a cam follower in a, manner hereinafter to be described.

On the outer face of each of the cam-like membersI 23, there is arrangedpreferably a lug portion 31, preferably in the form of a steel yblockwelded to each of the cam-like members, for supporting the link membersZII when the guard is in its position adjacent the belts I9, as shown inli'igure 2 of the drawings. It is the purpose of the lugs 3i to preventthe link members 2d, together with the other portions of the guard, fromvibrating or slapping after the guard has. been lowered to its guardingposition over the belts I9. On the inner side of each of the yoke-likeportions 6 of the carriage 3 of the belt wrapper, there is disposed asimilar lug portion 33 which also consists preferably of a steel blockwelded to the inner side of the yoke-like portions and which is adaptedto cooperate with the outer side of the arms 2l so as to limit themovement of the guard upwardly and away from thebelts I9, as shown inFigure 3 of the drawings.

The improved guard of the present invention operates-in the followingmanner.' The guard is normally in the position shown in Figures l and 2of the-drawings, withfthe plate-like' portion 20 thereof disposed over,adjacent to, and substan- Vtially` parallel to the wrapper belts I9. Insuch position, the cam-like members 23 are in contact with theirrespective rollers 33 carried by the brackets 35-mountedY on the iioor,and the guard is heldin such position through the cooperation thereofagainst the action of the springs 28 and 33. lThat is, when the guard isin this position, both the springs 28 and 33arranged with the linkmembers 24, are under compression and loaded. f I

"It will be understood that when it is desired to use the belt wrappermechanism, the carriage 3 is moved forwardly or protracted toward thereeling mechanism, as shown in the broken lines of the drawings,positioned between the rolling mill l (not shown) and the belt wrappermechanism. As the belt wrapper is moved forwardly, it will be seen thatthe cam-like members 23 will pass overand follow the rollers 36 an-deventually move out of ,contact therewith. The guard is thenv permittedto be moved upwardly away from the belts I9, with the arms 2i movingabout'the pivotal connection 22 thereof ytothe position as showninFigure S of the drawings. The guard 20,- together with the arms 2l, iscaused to move l to-such position, due to the action of the springs 28and 33, which have been loaded as previously described. The springs 28and 33 move the guard upwardly and rearwardly until the arms 2i strikethe stop lugs 38 arranged on the inner sides of the These springs willmaintain the guard in a retracted position Aand .against the stop. lugs;33 awhile. the belt wrapper is 'being'used .lt will be .understood thataiterthe belt wrapperfhas moved .to its most forwardposition and the:guard has moved away from the belts, they belts. iwill-be disposedpartially around the mandrellM of thezreeling mech anism, as shown.inFigure Soi thedrawings, with the rollersv i8 Vcarried by the:arm-like members i6 having beenmoved upwardlyiaro'undthe inner side ofthe mandrelabouttheir respective pivotal connections Il'. Itwillbefunderstood thatthe belts 'i9 are always held taut by.means of.the

lol

spring 2 5 and that thebelts areheld thereby se# curely.aroundztheperipheryof the mandrel M. 1

' The .exit `endof the strip being rolled `by the rolling mill is thenthreaded between the manadrel andthe-,belts 19 inawellqknown manner.y Thusfit will be seen thattheinitialoonvolutions of the ,stripv areseourelywrapped 'around the.

mandrel by means of `the `belts i9. After a sufflcientnumber .ofoonvolutionsof the striphas beenfwrappedaround the mandrel, .thecarriage which carriesl the beltfwrapper mechanism vis moved to'aretracted position away from the roll- Ving mill and. reeling'mechanism. andthe .mandrel M. As thebeltwrapper approachesits initial ornormal position, as shown Vin Figure. .2 :.of. the drawings, the`camelike, members 23 will strike Vtheir respectiverollers 3Sarrangedalong. the sides of the belt wrapper. .On .continued movement,of the ,belt Wrapper, the rollers` .36Y will .follow Ythe edge ofthecamflike members .23, .thereby foro ing the guard Ztl, together withthe arms '2| arranged therewith, about thelpivotal connections 22 andagainst theacticn of the'sprngs 23 and embodiment v.of `my invention;vit fwillbe under. stood that thisembodimentismerely for the purposeofillustration anddescriptionand that vari-1 belt'adaptedlto partiallyencircle thefscoiling member from the whipping action of the .tailend ofthe coiled strip .comprisingfa guard member, means for pivotallyattaching said guard member to thebelt wrapper mechanism, means formoving said guard, member to one position .over the wrapper belt so asto 4protectthe same; and means for moving said 4guard member `away fromthe Wrapper belt to another position. 1

2.. In combination with'a belt wrapper mechanism of the class describedincluding a plurality Y of spaced .apart horizontally disposed rollershaving at least one. endless belt arrangedtherearound with a portionthereof between the rollers adapted to partially 'encircle a coiling orreeling member, means for protecting that portion .of Ythe belt adapted.to partially encircle the coiling member from the.'whippingaction'ofthe tail end of 33 until the Vguard 20 is moved topositionadja- 1 centrthe .belts i9.. It .will be seen that as the guardrotates about the pivotal connection 22, thelugs 3l,V carried by thecam-like members '23, will move upwardly and, at about the same time theguard has reached its lowermost positionV adjacent the belts,the lugs 3Twill strike the bottom of the link members 24, thereby preventing anywhipping action thereof. It will be seen that the springs 28 tend to actas a .cushion so that the guard will not be forced to its guardingposition with an undue amount Vof force.

It will be understood that as the tail end of Y the strip leaves therolling mill after the strip has Y `over and adjacent to the Ywrapperbelts I9, as

shown in Figures 1 and 2 .of the drawings, the guard will prevent thetail'end of the strip from comingy in contact vvith'theV belts. That is,the tail end of the strip, instead of striking the belts, will strikethe top surface of the guard, as shown in FigureZ. Accordingly, it willbe seen that the belts I9 are safely protected from the whipping actionof the tail end of the strip.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided Vaguard for belt wrappers which is simple and effective in its use and, atthe same time, a guard which may Vbe easily and convenientlyincorporated With existing belt Wrappers.

While 1 have shown and described one specic the coiledlstrip comprisingya guard member, means for pivotallyattaohing said' guard member f tothebelt wrapper. mechanismgmeans for .Inoving said guard member to oneposition over the Wrapper belt so as to protect Ythe same, means forimoving said guard member away from thewrapper belt to another position,and means for holding and positioning said guard member in the positionaway from the wrapper belt.

3. In combination with a belt wrapper mechanism of the class describedincluding a plurality of spaced 'apart horizontally dispo-sed rollershaving at least one endless belt arranged therearound with aportionthereof between the rollers adapted topartially encircle a coiling orreeling member, means for protecting that portion of the belt adaptedtopartially encircle the coiling member from the whipping action of thetail end of the coiled strip, as defined in claim 1, wherein the meansfor moving the guard member to position over the wrapper belt consistsof a cam member arranged with the guard member, and stationary meansarranged adjacent the belt wrapper and guard member which is adapted tocooperate with said cam member to move the guard'member to one positionover the belt when the-cam member together with the'guard member carriedby the belt`wrapper is moved relative to said stationary means. l

4. In combination with a belt wrappermecha'- nism of the class describedincluding a plurality of spaced apart horizontally disposed rollershaving at least one endless belt 'arranged therearound with a portionthereof between the rollers adapted to partially encircle a ceiling orreeling mem- ,l

ber, means for protecting that portion Vof the belt adapted to partiallyencircle the coiling member from the whipping action of the tail end ofthe coiled strip, as dehned` in claim 1, wherein the nism of the classdescribed including a plurality of spaced apart horizontallydisposedrollers having atleast'one endless 'belt' arranged therearound withaportion thereof between the rollers adapted .to partiallyencircle'acoiling or reeling member, means for protecting that portionof the belt adapted to partially encircle the coiling `member fromithewhipping. action of the tail en'd yofthe coiled strip comprising anangularlyv arranged guard member `which is adapted to be disposed over*the* belt, a pair of outwardly extending spaced apart arms carried bysaid guard member.

arev moved sothat the cam'members contact the cam followers, and Vmeansfor moving the guard member laway from therwrapper belt to anotherposition. Y. t

6; In combination with abelt wrapper mechanism of the class describedincluding a plurality l of spaced apart horizontally' disposed rollershaving at least one endless belt arranged therearound Vwith a portionthereof between the rollers adapted to partially encircle acoiling orreeling membel', means for protectingthatportion of the belt adapted topartially encircle the ceiling memberfrom the Whipping action of thetail end of the coiled strip, as defined in claim 5, Wherein'the means.for moving the guard member to position away from the wrapperbeltconsists of an outwardly extending link arranged witheach of the armskwith one end of each of said links'being pivotally connected to theirrespective arms, and atleast one coil spring connectedto the oppositeend of eachV of said arms, said coil springs adapted to be normallyloaded andvadapted to move the guard Vto position away from the wrapperbelt an to hold the same in said position. 1 Y '7. In combination withabelt wrapper mechanism ofthe class described including a plurality ofspaced apart horizontally disposed rollers having at least one endlessbelt arranged therearound with a portion thereof. between the rollersadapted to partially encirclea coiling or reeling member, means forprotecting that portion of the belt adapted to partially encircle thecoiling member from the whipping action of the tail end,l of the coiledstrip comprising a guard membery consistingof a plate-like member whichis adapted to be disposed over the wrapper belt, a pair of downwardlyextending spaced apart arm-like members with one arranged at each sideof said guard member with the lower ends thereof being pivotallyconnected to the belt Wrapper mechanism to either side thereof, meansarranged with said arms for moving the guard member together with thearms about their pivot-al connection so that the guard member isdisposed in one position Vover Vthe wrapper belt, and means connected tosaid arms. for moving the guard together with the arms about theirpivotal connection so that the guard member is away from the wrapperbelt in another position. y

' vALFRED C. CTOINS.

